I can hardly believe its already august, and for some that means its back to school season. Either if you’re currently going to high school, or if you commute to school or if you live on campus heres a quick little guide of pieces of tech that I think you should pick up before going back to school that wont break the bank. First up on this list are the Sony WH-CH700N, these are one of Sony’s newest and cheapest bluetooth ANC headphones… Obviously these headphones don’t sound as good and their Active Noise Cancelation isn’t as good as their older brother the 1000XM2, but they get the job done.

I feel that having a good pair ANC headphones is important for any high school or college student because they can help you block out loud and inconsiderate neighbors while you’re trying to study or you can sneak in a quick power nap while you’re on the bus on your way to school or work. The Sony 700N retail for $200, but they routinely go on sale. If you want to pick any of the products featured on this list I”ll have links in the description below and if you use the links it really helps out the channel. And if you want to learn more about either of these products then watch their full reviews.

Next up on this list is another Sony product, the Sony XB31 bluetooth speaker. And this is mainly for people who live on campus. Obviously you’re going to have a lot of studying to do at school… but you’re also going to need some time to relax and hang out with friends. The XB31 sounds good, has a long battery life, and you can also use it as a battery bank to charge you phone. But there are a few reasons why im recommending the XB31 over all of the other mid sized speakers I’ve reviewed. Since the XB31 is much smaller than the XB41 its much easier to travel with and to throw into your back pack. And its also much more durable than the JBL Charge 3 and Pulse 3 cause you don’t have to worry about damaging the exposed radiators if you were to cram either of these speakers into your back pack. And besides the light feature on the front is a huge added benefit.

Next up on this list is the JBL clip 3, and I love this guy cause it has become my dedicated podcast machine. You can use it to listen to ted talks, audio books, lectures, or educational podcasts… while you’re showering, doing homework, or just doing chores around the house or your dorm. And since the Clip 3 has a really strong bluetooth connection you can have it on you while your phone is charging in a different room.

And the last speaker on this list is actually the google home mini. Google assistant can actually help you with your homework. If you’re working on a paper you can quickly ask the assistant for synonyms so you’re not constantly using the same words, and you can also ask it to define or even spell words you’re having issues with. But I personally really like using the assistant when im doing math or science homework. You can quickly ask it basic math questions, unit conversions, or elemental properties… and you actually end up saving a good amount of time cause you’re not constantly having to plug numbers into a converter or you don’t have to look up certain properties on your own. The mini just spits it out.

If you’re living on campus chances are you have access to a free gym and thats where the Powerbeats 3 come in. If you’re looking for a pair of sports earphones to workout with I feel you cant go wrong with the Powerbeats 3. They sound decent, they have a very long battery life, and thanks to that W1 chip they have very solid bluetooth connections. They usually retail for $200, but they are forever on sale over at amazon for about $135, I’ll have those linked down below as well.

And finally to power everything on this list, it is more important than ever to have your own battery bank. Theres nothing worse than desperately needing to charge your phone but then realizing there are no free power outlets. And using the public charging station in the mess hall also isn’t ideal cause you're going to be tied down to one spot for awhile, and thats even if you’re able to plug in. And thats where the Belkin Pocket Power comes in. Its small, light weight, and comes in various sizes. And having that $2,500 Connected Equipment Warranty gives you a little piece of mind.

And there you have it, these are a few pieces of technology that I feel you should pick up before going back to school that will hopefully make you a little more productive and make your time on campus a little more enjoyable without breaking the bank.